Firefighters put out titanium fire at Clearwater metals plant

CLEARWATER — Firefighters responded early Monday to what appeared to be burning titanium shavings at a metals recycling plant, according to Pinellas County dispatchers.

The call came in about 6:50 a.m., directing Pinellas Park Fire Rescue workers to Dynamet Inc. 14000 49th St. N, where firefighters extinguished the fire. The blaze was confined to a large drum, which firefighters pulled out of the plant.

According to fire officials, any metal ending in "ium" is combustible and cannot be extinguished with water. Firefighters used a special chemical fire extinguisher to fight the fire.